For anyone that's interested, XMBC for Android is out as a stable "user-friendly" build. No root required.

It's not on the Play Store. First, you need to install MX Player, which is a fine and highly recommended media player in it's own right.

Then google "XMBC Android", download the app from their site (there are NEON and non-NEON builds) and install. I rebooted after the install.

It's pretty cool, an the best way to access my NAS media, though it isn't quite as user friendly as it could be. I found that it slowed by Nexus 7 down a fair bit after I came out of it, but that didn't last long anyway.

One day I realized I needed an HDTV both cause of the change, the visual upgrade, and most importantly for gaming. So I looked for 1080p and Vizio was there and the most inexpensive.
I have a Vizio 1080p set and it's worked great so I have a little faith in their brand.http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/7/384...
Honestly I don't want it too thin, but the real unknown is the tegra 4.

For my sharing I simply use PMS, since I knew it would work with my PS3. But it also works well with both Android phones I have had, as well as my Samsung TV. Using UPnPlay, I can either play files on my phone, or send them to my TV, since they're all on the same network. Pretty sweet. :cooL:

OK - so I just made the switch from an iPhone 4 to a Galaxy S3. It's fresh out of the box and I've linked up my Google Account. I don't want to root it yet as I may still return within the 14 day period that AT&T offers you (I'm still iffy on the screen).

Aside from rooting, what should I be downloading (aside from the usual Facebook/Spotify/Netflix apps)? A launcher? Some slick Android-only app?

Anyone with the Samsung Nexus have weird battery days? Most days I pull it off my charger, and it lasts until I get home that night (usually with at least 30% charge left in it). Every once in a while, though, it has a bad day, and goes completely dead by 1:00 in the afternoon. I'm never doing anything different. The programs are usually the same ones that were loaded from the day before, and I'm almost always at work. Same network coverage, same attempted usage (not much). When I look at the battery information, it shows the screen as being the biggest drain, but it does not seem to stay awake any longer than normal.

Anyone with the Samsung Nexus have weird battery days? Most days I pull it off my charger, and it lasts until I get home that night (usually with at least 30% charge left in it). Every once in a while, though, it has a bad day, and goes completely dead by 1:00 in the afternoon. I'm never doing anything different. The programs are usually the same ones that were loaded from the day before, and I'm almost always at work. Same network coverage, same attempted usage (not much). When I look at the battery information, it shows the screen as being the biggest drain, but it does not seem to stay awake any longer than normal.

It's very frustrating when it happens.

I get that periodically on my Droid X. I haven't found a reason yet, but my initial hypothesis is Verizon's Backup application. It runs in the background and does its stuff via 3G. I have no definitive proof, but it's really the only idea I have so far.

Motherf*cking Iceman, I'm the top gunner. Heater on blast, I'm the number one stunner.

I was gifted a Nexus 7 by my wonderful wife as a Valentine's Day present before I flew out of town for the week. Enjoying it so far, especially coming from my aging/dying EVO 4G. Nice to not be stuck with 2.3.

Got to figure out what to play with with the bigger screen and much more graphics horsepower.

I was gifted a Nexus 7 by my wonderful wife as a Valentine's Day present before I flew out of town for the week. Enjoying it so far, especially coming from my aging/dying EVO 4G. Nice to not be stuck with 2.3.

Got to figure out what to play with with the bigger screen and much more graphics horsepower.

Here is a site I check for sales. Anomaly Korea is supposed to be pretty good and is on sale right now.

I'm finding myself a bit angry that Google decided to cheap out on this on a Nexus device. Sounds like from reading I'm doing, it's the wrong type of jack to support play/pause functionality from a headset.

Maybe it's me, but could they have assumed that the number of people that would have the tablet tucked away while listening to music would be minuscule? I know my phone does all my "on the go musicing" and my tablet does the at home stuff.

Zen Pinball also comes with a free table so its worth downloading. For some reason the framerate doesn't hold up to the iPhone version though. Its still very playable but can be a little jarring if you are used to the other versions.

The Nexus 7 was the tablet that started the un expensive tablet avalanche. They had to cut corners somewhere.
There's a N7 refresh coming soon, maybe trade up once specs are released?

I can't imagine the jack and circuitry would add more than a few cents to the cost. Plus, they included a camera, so you'd think they'd have thought of the use case of somebody doing a video chat with a headset.

Just seems silly.

But then I wasn't an early adopter solely because I thought they should have included a microSD slot. I only got interested once they went to 32GB.

So I've been using my Galaxy S3 for a week and I've definitely decided to make the switch from iOS to Android. I like the form factor of the bigger form and Jelly Bean is a pretty sweet OS for my phone. However, I'm still on the fence as to whether I should keep the Galaxy S3 or return it, get off my contract, and pick a Nexus 4.

As far as I can tell, the biggest difference between the two (aside from the contract which is a big deal) is the lack of LTE on the Nexus 4. Here in Seattle, that's certainly a downside but AT&T is pretty limited elsewhere. Also, the N4's screen is rumored to be more "natural" and less saturated than the S3. And I've been disappointed with the S3 battery life but apparently, the N4 has similar performance (basically needs a charge every day). And while this is subjective and may just be in my head, the Nexus 4 is just sexier - less plastic, minimal bezel, eyes you can just melt into...

In any case, thoughts from the GwJ hivemind? If I don't hear anything, inertia will probably just keep me with the S3 as I already have it.

And I've been disappointed with the S3 battery life but apparently, the N4 has similar performance (basically needs a charge every day). And while this is subjective and may just be in my head, the Nexus 4 is just sexier - less plastic, minimal bezel, eyes you can just melt into...

One thing about the S3 is that it has cheap swappable batteries available. (See ebay, probably 2x for $10 including an external charger). The Nexus 4 doesn't.

I'm still running an old EVO 4G, and I just have some cheap batteries that are easy to keep around when I think I won't be able to charge for awhile.

Until these high powered phones have 2-3 day heavy use batteries, I'm sticking with phones where I can have the option to swap batteries.

In the past few weeks I started using Bluetooth to connect to my new car's audio and listen to podcasts on my daily commute.

I'm running a Galaxy Nexus with CyanogenMod 10.1 nightlies. I'd become very used to a constant hiss and crackle when I was connected but with nothing playing. This wasn't audible once I started playing something or driving so I wasn't too annoyed.

This morning I updated to the 0217 nightly (which I'm pretty sure includes 4.2.2) and surprise, no more hissing or crackling! Now it's like the audio isn't on at all. So much nicer.

In the past few weeks I started using Bluetooth to connect to my new car's audio and listen to podcasts on my daily commute.

I'm running a Galaxy Nexus with CyanogenMod 10.1 nightlies. I'd become very used to a constant hiss and crackle when I was connected but with nothing playing. This wasn't audible once I started playing something or driving so I wasn't too annoyed.

This morning I updated to the 0217 nightly (which I'm pretty sure includes 4.2.2) and surprise, no more hissing or crackling! Now it's like the audio isn't on at all. So much nicer. :)

Do you know of a guide to getting CM 10 going on the GNex that you prefer? I'm tired of waiting for Verizon to catch up, and I'm not sure I'll be sticking with this phone for much longer anyway.

HTC One is the newest HTC top end phone. Looks nice, but for me personally, the battery seems small for a non-replaceable battery, and I still want a swappable microSD card. And the new Sense home screen just looks unneeded and I would attempt to turn it off as soon as possible.

Next up, Samsung should announce the G IV soon. I'm thinking unless they screw that up or the release is too far out, I'm going to have to go that route soon. My EVO 4G is getting ancient and has gotten to the point where it overheats and reboots anytime I do something processor or radio intensive.

Well, I think I've decided to stick with my Galaxy S3 after a two week trial period. My only beef right now? How the hell do I change the clock on the lock screen? Man, that font is terrible; especially compared to the slick fonts else where (including the lock screen of my N7).